Jeremiah 22:10-12
Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land. For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more, but in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The prophet directs the people to weep not for the dead, who are taken from the evil to come, but for the living, who face certain exile and loss. This highlights a profound spiritual truth: present suffering and separation are often far more grievous than death itself, especially when death offers escape from impending judgment.
Jeremiah is addressing the people about the recent succession of kings after the death of the good King Josiah. While Josiah himself was mourned, the prophet urges them to save their deepest sorrow for his son Jehoahaz, who has been taken captive to Egypt and will never return. This lament marks the beginning of a series of prophecies against Judah's kings and their corrupt leadership.
Why would a prophet tell people not to weep for a beloved king who just died? What kind of weeping is truly warranted?
Jeremiah's instruction here is jarring: "Weep not for the dead." He's referring to King Josiah, a righteous ruler who was deeply mourned (2 Chronicles 35:24-25). But Jeremiah insists there's a greater sorrow.
The Deeper Grief
The reason? Josiah, though he died in battle, was spared the horrors to come. He was 'taken away from the evil to come' (as some commentators suggest, referencing 2 Kings 23:29 and Isaiah 57:1). His death, while sad, was a merciful end compared to the coming judgment on Judah. True sorrow isn't just for the ending of a life, but for the destruction of a nation and its people.
A Glimpse of God's Mercy
This teaches us that sometimes, what seems like a tragedy (like an early death) can be an act of divine mercy, protecting someone from greater suffering. Our perspective on 'good' and 'bad' fortune needs to align with God's eternal purposes.
What kind of loss is so profound that it eclipses the sorrow of death itself? Jeremiah points to a chilling future.
The intense weeping Jeremiah demands is for the one 'who goes away' – specifically, King Jehoahaz (also called Shallum). He was Josiah's successor, but his reign was brief and ended in exile.
The Sorrow of Captivity
Pharaoh Necho deposed Jehoahaz after only three months and took him captive to Egypt (2 Kings 23:33-34). This exile was seen as a far worse fate than death. Why?
Understand the original words
bakah · Hebrew Verb
An outward expression of deep internal sorrow, lamentation, or mourning, often associated with tragedy, death, or severe divine judgment.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the covenant God of Israel. It denotes His self-existence, eternal nature, and His faithfulness to His redemptive covenant with His people.
shebiy · Hebrew Noun
A state of being taken into custody or forced into a foreign land, often as a result of divine judgment for disobedience to God’s covenant. It represents the reversal of the blessings of the promised land.
Jeremiah urges Judah to mourn not for the recently deceased King Josiah, a good king taken from future troubles, but for his son Jehoahaz, who is exiled to Egypt and will never return. This stark contrast highlights the devastating consequences of sin and the impending judgment that awaits those who persist in wickedness, a judgment far worse than death.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah, a righteous king, is killed in battle against Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Megiddo. His death is a profound shock and loss to Judah.
609 BC
Jehoahaz (Shallum) reigns
After Josiah's death, the people crown his son Shallum, renaming him Jehoahaz. He reigns for only three months.
609 BC— this verse
Jehoahaz exiled to Egypt
Pharaoh Necho deposes Jehoahaz after a short reign and takes him captive to Egypt, where he dies. He will never see his homeland again.
609 BC
Jehoiakim reigns
Pharaoh Necho installs Jehoiakim, another son of Josiah, as king of Judah, demanding heavy tribute. His reign is marked by corruption and injustice.
This passage describes the death of Josiah, the good king mentioned in the commentaries, highlighting the contrast between his peaceful, albeit untimely, death and the tragic fate of his successor, Jehoahaz.
2 Kings 23:31-34This passage details the short reign and subsequent exile of Jehoahaz to Egypt, directly illustrating the 'one who goes away and will not return' that Jeremiah is calling for bitter weeping over.
Ezekiel 19:3-4Ezekiel's poetic lament for a 'young lion' who is caught and taken to Egypt serves as a powerful parallel to the fate of Jehoahaz, the 'young lion of royal strain' being carried away captive.
Ecclesiastes 4:2This verse suggests that the living should envy the dead who have ceased from their troubles, offering a philosophical perspective that aligns with Jeremiah's sentiment that the departed king Josiah is in a better state than the exiled Jehoahaz.
barnesJeremiah 22:10: "Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country."
In the two foregoing prophecies Jeremiah stated the general principle on which depend the rise and downfall of kings and nations. He now adds for Zedekiah's warning the history of three thrones which were not established. The first is that of Shallum the successor of Josiah, who probably took the name of Jehoahaz on his accession (see th…
gillJeremiah 22:10: "Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country."
Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him,.... Not Jehoiakim, as Jarchi and Kimchi; but King Josiah, slain by Pharaohnecho; who, being a pious prince, a good king, and very useful, and much beloved by his people, great lamentation was made for him by them, and by the prophet also; but now he exhorts them to cease weeping, or at least…
The prophet directs the people to weep not for the dead, who are taken from the evil to come, but for the living, who face certain exile and loss. This highlights a profound spiritual truth: present suffering and separation are often far more grievous than death itself, especially when death offers escape from impending judgment.
Jeremiah is addressing the people about the recent succession of kings after the death of the good King Josiah. While Josiah himself was mourned, the prophet urges them to save their deepest sorrow for his son Jehoahaz, who has been taken captive to Egypt and will never return. This lament marks the beginning of a series of prophecies against Judah's kings and their corrupt leadership.
Jeremiah is addressing the people about the recent succession of kings after the death of the good King Josiah. While Josiah himself was mourned, the prophet urges them to save their deepest sorrow for his son Jehoahaz, who has been taken captive to Egypt and will never return. This lament marks the beginning of a series of prophecies against Judah's kings and their corrupt leadership.
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Living Without a Future
Jeremiah's message is a stark warning: the consequences of disobedience are not just personal, but national, leading to a loss so complete that it eclipses even death.
c. 605 BC
Babylonian victory at Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon decisively defeats the Egyptians and their Assyrian allies, shifting the balance of power in the region.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem and carries away a group of Judean nobles and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
"Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land. For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of…" — The prophet directs the people to weep not for the dead, who are taken from the evil to come, but for the living, who face certain exile and loss. This highlights a profound spiritual truth: present…
